diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e3361f1e38..4c8255c840 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -303,6 +303,12 @@ AG_GST_CHECK_FEATURE(LAME, [lame mp3 encoder library], lame, [
       [LAME_CFLAGS="-DGSTLAME_PRESET"],
       [LAME_CFLAGS=""]
     )
+    AC_TRY_COMPILE([#include <lame/lame.h>], [
+        void *ptr = &lame_set_VBR_quality
+      ],
+      [LAME_CFLAGS="$LAME_CFLAGS -DHAVE_LAME_SET_VBR_QUALITY"],
+      [LAME_CFLAGS="$LAME_CFLAGS"]
+    )
   AC_SUBST(LAME_CFLAGS)
   AC_SUBST(LAME_LIBS)
   ])
diff --git a/ext/lame/gstlamemp3enc.c b/ext/lame/gstlamemp3enc.c
index 51e43ae93a..f898539dae 100644
--- a/ext/lame/gstlamemp3enc.c
+++ b/ext/lame/gstlamemp3enc.c
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@
 #include "gstlamemp3enc.h"
 #include <gst/gst-i18n-plugin.h>
 
+/* lame < 3.98 */
+#ifndef HAVE_LAME_SET_VBR_QUALITY
+#define lame_set_VBR_quality(flags,q) lame_set_VBR_q((flags),(int)(q))
+#endif
+
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (debug);
 #define GST_CAT_DEFAULT debug